World

Former CIA director, U.S. Cabinet member Schlesinger dies at 85

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - James Schlesinger, who served three U.S. presidents - Republican and Democrat alike - in the top posts at the CIA, Pentagon and Energy Department, died on Thursday at age 85.

A serious thinker on national security and an executive determined to get things done, Schlesinger headed the Defense Department under Republicans at a time of major change and then, as its first secretary, established the Energy Department from scratch under Democrat Jimmy Carter.

He died at a hospital in Baltimore, and the cause of death was complications from pneumonia, a U.S. official said.